We all had hot showers though, the second since reaching base camp. The sherpa crew even showered; I am afraid to ask the Tibetans though. And that makes the second since leaving Kathmandu, we didn’t shower or even change undies for the week on the way in. Too much info, I can hear, but there is a reality about expedition life, or at least the getting to base camp part. I really hope frozen undies are as close to anything like that we get.
Acclimatizing to altitude has two basic components. The first is going up slowly enough that you don’t get serious altitude sickness, which is High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) or High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). That is the reason we took a week to reach base camp (5150m), rather than two days, which the drive could take.
The component now which matters to us is getting stronger at altitude, which is also a process that takes days, indeed weeks and seems to be helped by exercising every day. Although there is saying, “Climb high, sleep low”, this is simplistic and if we really followed the 300m a day gain in altitude guideline, we would actually take around 9-10 days to reach 5150m, indeed our normal trek itinerary on the south side. So here we are heading down in altitude for the first few days trips, rather than higher.
Yesterday we headed down to visit Rongbuk Monastery and most of the crew joined for part of the way too. It turned out to be a very special experience thanks to the nuns of the monastery, and the generosity of a Tibetan guide we met previously.
Everything is going well, perhaps more photos this evening - Jamie
19 April: Chilly! Kami the BC manager and cook holding the thermometer, although last year we definitely had colder at a similar time. Our heater with the double-skinned dining tent is actually too warm in the evenings.
We had our puja to show respect for the mountain, even though we cannot see it from our sheltered base camp. Karsang officiated, chanting sonorously, and the prayer flags rose well. The chosen tipple was Johnny Walker probably because of the monk red label, which also matches the crew jackets.
After lunch we visited the Altitude Junkies team where the beer and wine was flowing, “limit 3 units” for afternoon tea according to Phil, because they were still recovering from their rather more alcoholic puja the previous day. Grant has a clip on his website, drinking a beer while doing a headstand. He fell asleep in his tent later, no sleeping bag even. Hair of the dog was the rallying cry the morning after.
Grant also managed to count all the climbers, yes, the day prior when he wasn’t seeing double. In summary there are around 109 foreign climbers, around 101 climbing sherpas spread between perhaps 16 expeditions. This compares with around 450 foreign climbers and an equal approx 450 climbing sherpas on the south side, and perhaps 50 expeditions (I am guessing Alan Arnette has the exact figures).
Certainly I consider the north side slightly less dangerous and if climbing with a good commercial outfit, the chance of success is similar, so we feel fortunate. Additionally with less pressure to summit in the first low wind window, the mountain should be not too crowded. Let's see.
Tom and myself are still acclimatizing in Base Camp and have a another day here before heading up. More tomorrow, providing our internet is working...
Above, Everest.
Our Landcruiser driver, Purna, has a genuine warmth, and his vehicle that worn comfortableness of the decorated seat covers, although still rides well. It was only 3 hours drive from Tingri to base camp; I’ll spare you the video I shot en route.
The crew warmly welcomed us, more about them tomorrow.
Above: Hanging out in Nyalam
Jamie: Cho Oyu memories
For repeat Tibet climbers getting to the mountain seems to be a chore, suffering Zhangmu, Nyalam and Tingri.
Personally, I like the time to unwind and to catch up with friends. So what if we suffer the culinary delights of CTMA’s carefully selected restaurants and don’t get to shower until base camp. We do now get to sleep in dust-free rooms and comfy beds, and there is always yak steak available elsewhere.
Zhangmu is about getting across the border. For the climbers that is just a case of a thorough search through our bags. For the sherpas they have to unload the Nepal truck with our several tons of supplies, get the drums and bags and gas cylinders carried across and x-rayed, then loaded into a Chinese truck, so a busy day.
At Nyalam, with the stress of the Zhangmu border crossing over, the various sherpa crews and Tibetan helpers relax in the sun (above) and when the afternoon snow comes, move into the smoky teahouses, a chance to catch up with friends who work for different companies, make the connections again.
The black-topped road is a delight but Tingri is still a dusty dump, crumbling mud buildings with shaggy dogs and rubbish lining the road. Beware of even looking at the scallywag kids or taking their photo, they then pounce and wrap themselves around you legs pleading for money or chocolate, and if you display the slightest softness, they won't let go. The only thing that has changed is the clean and almost dust-free room. So the joy is getting out to climb the hill nearby, a chance to stretch the legs and take photos with Cho Oyu as a stunning backdrop...
Above: warming up in a Tingri teahouse where we had fried yak meat for dinner.
We have spent a couple of nights at Nyalam and a couple at Tingri; we will reach Everest Base Camp on Tuesday.
Drinking tea, wandering around the towns, exercising has been relaxing, a welcome respite from the multi-expedition preparation phase.
We have survived the dogs, but have always stuck together in the evenings, and with assistance from buffs and masks, have survived the dust and dry air, no coughs yet.
More from base camp soon! Jamie
Our Project Himalaya Everest expedition from Tibet has started, we are on the road now. Driving out of Kathmandu is a dirty affair, fumes, dust and noise, and while some sections of the road have been widened, it is still a game of dodgem’s around weaving motorbikes, cows, rice threshing and potholes. Character, and that is what these photos are. The old Nepal of ancient Toyota Corollas with a hint of more recent artistry and bolder self-expression. (And by the way, the airport taxis are going to be replaced sometime next year, apparently).
Crossing to Zhangmu in China reinforces how much further Nepal is standing still, which in reality is falling behind. On the Nepal side we ate lunch 1km away while our border rep got the passports stamped for us. As we actually passed the immigration office, there was a truck we had to walk around; no compulsory pass through system. We didn’t even see the office, no official actually checked us against our passport. In contrast China starts from the middle of the friendship bridge, and that is where the first check is, passport against the paper visa, line up in the exact order as the visa is written, only then are we allowed further where we are watched to the immigration building entrance. This time there was no temperature check (for SARS) but our luggage was x-rayed and we had to empty out every personal bag. Tom was asked why he was carrying “The Female Brain” (my book) and even had a photo of a temple in Kathmandu deleted from his camera because there was a Dalai Lama photo vaguely visible. The official gave up looking through my 5000 photos on my laptop.
While China in the form of Zhangmu is definitely less dirty, it isn’t clean or sterile. The toilet in the hotel room doesn’t work, it didn’t last year in the same room either. The streets still have shop shacks but we didn’t get far enough up the road to see the seedy brothels and pigs trotter restaurants, it is raining. Mid-afternoon we looked back down valley to blue sky but it is now steady, feeling like it might not stop. Nothing alarming, but not just a shower.
It is going to take six days of leisurely driving to reach Everest Base Camp, with two nights at Nyalam and the same at Tingri so that we can acclimatize, arrive there without falling prey to altitude sickness (AMS – acute mountain sickness). The sherpa crew who are genetically adapted to altitude as the Tibetans are will go ahead and set up the base camp for our arrival. Luxury!
I have posted on Facebook too, however these are likely the last posts for a while as I will be switching to a China mobile sim, no fb, no blogging. Let's see if Instagram can post to Facebook though (the new Instagram for Android...) and I do have some ways around to test.
Jamie with Tom and the crew
